This is the city: Los Angeles, California. I work here. I'm an ex-mayor. Los Angeles is a magnet for people from all over the world. Some of them run for public office. Inevitably some of them stray from the golden rule and rule for those that have the gold. That's when I go to work. My name is Yorty. I'm a dead pol.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Mayor’s Supporters Plan Victory Rally

By Jennifer Solis

With passage of AB1381, and signing by the Governator all but certain, the supporters of the mayor’s plan to take over the LAUSD will rally Wednesday morning at Animo High School.

The 9 am gathering will take place at the Green Dot facility, at 11100 South Western Avenue. At least a thousand parents and students are expected to attend, according to Rose Group staffer Tracy Mallozzi, who, with Laura Benetti, has been handling the public relations for Steve Barr, organizer of the Los Angeles Parents Union, and head of Green Dot charter schools.

Unfortunately for the supporters of mayoral takeover of our public schools, no one seems to be addressing the certain to be filed litigation, which will inevitably result in the entire legislation being thrown out by the courts. The lawyers will make a bundle, and the status quo will remain, except for moving the battle to the next round of school board elections, and a possible referendum on the proposal.

The fallout is also expected to affect politics within the Los Angeles teachers union. The current UTLA leadership endorsed the mayor’s plan after a closed door meeting with Villaraigosa a few weeks ago. The support was narrowly formalized at a mid-summer session of the UTLA House of Delegates at which almost half the members were absent.

Union president A.J. Duffy has gambled that he can persuade his troops to go along with the deal, but a petition signed by 500 teachers has forced a referendum on AB 1381 for early October. Ballot arguments will be submitted by next Tuesday, the 5th, with voting packets sent to LAUSD schools on September 20th. The count will take place October 5th.

Former president of both the Los Angeles and state teachers organizations, Wayne Johnson, says that AB 1381 recognizes that the “level of public dissatisfaction with the district has reached the boiling point.” He says that “It is important that UTLA members keep their eye on the big picture,” which includes giving teachers a greater voice in reforming the LAUSD.

The California Legislative Counsel, Diane Boyer-Vine, has already made two separate analyses which conclude that AB 1381 is contrary to the state constitution, which requires that education governing be separate from municipal government. In her most recent announcement, she wrote that the courts “would likely conclude that the authority or control over educational functions currently performed by a school district may not be transferred by statute to the mayor of a charter city.”

The LAUSD hired the Sacramento law firm, Olsen, Hagel & Fishburn to handle “governance issues.” The board is proceeding to recruit Superintendent Roy Romer’s replacement this fall without input from the mayor – which could spark a separate round of lawsuits. The executive search firm working for the board has insisted that all negotiations be kept out of the press, until the successor is announced.

Doug had on State Senator Jackie Speier who stood up to "BOSS POLLORAIGOSA" on AB 1381. He ask her to state an opinion on Academia Del Semillias Pueblo. She was concern on how Charter Schools can evade oversite on curriculum and financial matters. Doug is not backing down. Tell that to Marcos. By the way, tell Marcos to release his financial records.

I'm sure Nunez's aim is to become mayor of L.A., just like AV did after he was speaker of the Assembly.

Can you imagine that? We had Riordan, who was decent, then Hahn, who was your run-of-the-mill lamo, now we have AV, who's utterly lame and ineffectual. And then we follow that legacy up with a phony, backstabbing, foot-stomping ethnopolitician? How pathetic would that be?

Oh bugger. I've met Miss Solis, and she's a perfectly acceptable AMERICAN citizen who happens to write for the funny papers on occasion. Oh dear, that wasn't what I meant, but you understand what I'm saying...savvy? That sot who posted at 5:13pm must be a City Hall staffer who has a bosom fetish. That same sot needs to be left on a deserted island with Sens. Runner, Ashburn, Dick Mountjoy and NO RUM.

Did I hear the name of Villarbarbosa's first mate? (Who's going to be the next mayor? S'mee, isn't it? After all, I greased enough palms for you with this school district juggernaut that nobody had better break wind or a lot of hands will be burned!) Ah, yes. S'mee Nunez and his apprentice Kevin DeLeon.

But I'm getting way off topic here. Back to Miss Solis, who is a charming young lady with a nice chest of tools. Oh dear, that wasn't what I meant to say either.

Miss Solis, would you care to sail with a pirate crew? I promise that any City Hall Sots who stow away will be taken to another deserted island with NO RUM.